Shutter for panoramic cameras



Feb. '9 1926. 1,572g246 W. A. RDTQELL.

SHUTTER FOR PANORAMIC CAMERAS Filed April l5 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 9 1926.

W. A. RIDDELL.

SHUTTER FOR PANORAMIC CAMERAS Filed April 15 1925 2 Sheets-Shaw 2 ATTOR'NEYS.

Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. RIDDELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEVI YORK, ASSIGNGR TO EASTMAN KODAKCOMPANY, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW' YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHUTTER FOR PANORABIC CAMERAS.

Application filed April 15, 1925.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM A. RIDDELL, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe andV State of1Few York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shuttersfor Panoramic Cameras, of which the following is a full, clear, andeXact specicaton.

My present invention relates to pliotography and more particularly topanoramic photographic cameras. One object of my invention is to providea shutter mechanism having conveniently arranged operating devices.Another object is to provide a camera having` a latch mechanism whichwill hold the lens carrier definitely in its two positions of rest, andone which will also prevent the lens carrier from rebounding` after anexposure is made. Another object is to provide a latch mechanism whichwill function regardless of the method of operating the lens carrierreleasing mechanism, as the rebound controlling part of the latch mayact independently of the releasing latch. Another object is to controlthe speed of the lens carrier, and other objects will appear from thefollowing specification, the novel features being particularly pointedout in the claims at the end thereof.

Coming now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote likeparts throughout Fig. 1' is a plan view of a panoramic cameraconstructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of myinvention;

Fig. 2'is a fragmentary section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with some of theparts shown in elevation and some-of the parts shown in a differentposition from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lens carrier shaftsr and pinions; and

Fig, 6 is a fragmentary plan view part in section showing the gearretarding device.

As shown in Fig. 1, the camera comprises a box 1 in which there is acurved guideway 2 at each end of which are mounted rollers 3. Film isdrawn from a spool 4e mounted upon centering pins 5 (only one beingSerial No. 23,425.

shown) across the rollers 3 to a take-up spool 6 which may be turned bythe winding key 7 in the usual manner. rlhe camera is provided with theusual finder 8, and there is a curved face plate 9 which has an opening10 through which the lens tube 11 may project, this tube having a.light-tight connection with the plate .9 consisting of a flexibleleather wall 12.

rFhere is an objective consisting in this case of the lens elements 13and 14 mounted in the lens tube 11. At the rear of this objective thereis a tubular member 15 which supports an outwardly flaring housing 16 ofthe type shown in U. S. Patent No. 658,159, Brownell, December 17,1901'. My present invention is for an improvement over the panoramiccamera shown in this patent.

The tube 15 is supported upon shafts 17, best shown in Fig. 5. Theseshafts are provided with pinions 18 and preferably carry pins 19 whichturn freely in bearings 2O (one of which is shown in Fig. 3).

In order to swing the lens tube and the housing 16 about the shafts 17to make an exposure the following` mechanism is used. On the top of thecamera box 1 there is mounted a plate 2O having an arcuate slot 21 cuttherein. Gne end 22 of a lever 23 projects through this slot and theother end 24 of the lever is attached to an arbor or shaft 2G which mayturn in a suitable bearing 27. This arbor carries an arm 2S affixedthereto so that when the finger grip 22 is used to swing lever 3 throughthe slot 21, arm 28 will also swing between two positions which aredefined ly the struck-up portion 29 engag-ing either one of twoapertures 30 (Fig. 4L) in plate 31 which is fixedly attached to an innerwall of the camera. Arm 28 has a downwardly extending arm 32 whichcarries one end 33 of a spring 34 the other end of which 35 is attachedto a stud 36. This stud is carried b v a lever 37 pivoted at 38 to plate31, and the lever carries a gear seg ment 39 adapted to mesh with theupper pinion 1S of shaft 17 which carries the lens tube. Lever 37 isprovided with a slot 40 which limits the movement of this lever as itrides about stud 411. There are a pair of apertures 41 and l2 in theends of this lever` and these apertures are arranged to swing to andfrom a position in which the pins e3 and llmay project into theapertures. As best shown in Fig. 2, these pins are slidably mounted insimilar bearings ll5 and are both provided with reduced shanks 4:6 andenlarged hea-ds 47 from which pins 4S project upwardly. These pins areengaged by the ends 4-9 of a substantially U- shaped spring which isattached at 51 to the underside of .plate 20. This spring normallyexerts a downward pressure upon both of the pins so that they will pressagainst the lever 37, and when an aperture etl or 42 comes beneath apin, it will drop into the aperture thus forming a latch to hold plate37 in either of its two positions of rest. The apertures 41 or 42 form4a detent into which a pin 43 or 411; may snap so that this mechanismprovides a double latch for lever 37.

Either of these two pins may be moved against the pressure of sprin 50by means of a rocker arm which is pivoted at 61 to a flange 62 formeddownwardly from plate 20. This rocker arm has a pair of upwardlyextending lugs 63 which are adapted to engage under the enlarged headst9 of the pins. The ends of the rocker arms carry push buttons 64. whichare adapted to operate through apertures in the camera wall 66. Itshould be noted here that these push buttons are spaced quite a distanceapart so as to lieV near the ends 67 of the camera. This greatlyfacilitates holding the camera steady in making` an exposure as a button6i may be Conveniently pushed by the thumb of the hand used to hold thecamera steady. It should be noted that while` either pin 43 or le mayvbe raised upwardly by means of the rocker arm 60, the sole means ofmoving the pins downwardly is a tension of spring' 37 so that the -pinsmay be in efl'ect independently moved. that is, one pin may be raisedwithout altering the position of the other pin at all, This is usefulbecause. one pin is always pressing on lever 37 ready to drop into anaperture so as to prevent rebound by holding the lever still at the endof each stroke.

In order to retard the speed of the exposure, the device bet shown inFig. 6 is used. This consists of a gear train, one gear of which 70meshes with the lower pinion 18 on shaft 17 and is provided with teeth71 meshing with a pinion 72 on a shaft 78 which also carries a gear 74.Shaft 73 lis carried by the plate 75 affixed to the bottom of the cameraso that the portion of the gear train just described always moves whenthe lens barrel 11 is moved. A stud 76 earried by plate 7 5 supports anarm 77. This arm is slotted at 78 so that it may be guided in itsmovement about stud 76 by means of a second stud 79 which passes upthrough the arcuate slot 78, limiting' the movement of lever 7 7. On theouter end of this lever there is a slot 80 which is engaged by a lug Slextending'f downwardly from the lever 82 which is carried by a shaft S3.This shaft extends up through the top wall 66 of the camera casing, andis provided with a lever S4 equipped with a finger grip 85 and a pointer86 which may be moved to the speed indicating symbols F and S whichindicate a fast or slow exposure. Arm 77 carries a stud 90 to which isattached a pinion 91 and a weighted member in a form of a wheel 92.lVhen the parts are in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6, gears91 and 74 are in mesh and a slow exposure can' be made. To make a fastexposure, lever S-it is moved to the position shown in dashed lines inwhich position gears 74 and 91 are no longer in mesh so that theretarding action of that part of the gear train carried by lever S7 willnot alfect the shutter.

The operation of my camera is as follows: 1n order to make an exposure,the lever Q2 is moved to place the spring 34 under tension. As thismember is moved through the arcuate slot 2l, the operator can feel theprotuberance 29 snap into an aperture 30. One of the shutter releasingmembers 64 is then depressed so that the rocking arm 60 will be actuatedand pin L14 (when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4t) iswithdrawn from aperture 42, thereby permitting spring` 84; to move thepivoted lever 37 and with it pinion 18 and shaft 17, thus rotating thehousing 16 through the angle necessary to make an exposure. As thepivoted lever 37 swings, pin 4? rides along the face of the lever untilaperture 41 is reached at which time spring 37 presses the pin into theaperture and prevents lever 37 from re.- bounding before it comes torest. The next picture is made by setting the spring 34; in a reversedirection by swinging lever 22 through slot 21. The remaining operationsare the same except that the opposite push button 647 is depressed tomove the rocker arm 60.

In order to make a fast or slow exposure, lever 84; is moved so thatpointer S6 will indicate the desired exposure.

lVhile I have described a preferred `enibodiment of my invention, I donot wish to be restricted to the form shown in the drawingsl anddescribed in the specilication except as indicated in the accompanyingclaims.

Having thus described my invention` what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a panoramic hamera, the combina-- tion with a swinging lens holderhaving a pinion, of a pivoted lever having teeth en gaging the pinion, aspring for moving the pinion, stop pins mounted adjacent the level` andspring pressed toward the lever, detents in the lever adapted to beengaged by the pins, and means for moving the pini against their springpressure whereby when one pin is moved from the lever detent CII thelever may swing until the other pin, under the impulse ot' its springwill snap into` the other detent to hold the lever at the end' ot itsstroke.

In a panoramic camera, the combination with a swinging lens holderhaving a pinionS, ofa pivoted lever having teeth engaging the pinion, aspring for moving the pinion, stop pins mounted adjacent the lever andspring pressed toward the lever, detente in the lever adapted to beengaged by the, pins, and a rocker arm adapted to engage and move thepins alternately against spring pressure whereby one pin will be moved.trom one detent permitting the pivote-d 'lever to swing, until the otherpin engages the other detent.

3. In a panoramic camera, the combination with a swinging lens holderhaving a pinion, of a pivoted lever having teeth. engaging the pinion, aspring tor .moving the pinion, means for setting' the spring` to drivethe lever in either direction, detents in the lever, two pins adapted toengage the detents, means tor moving the pins toward the detents and arocker arm for moving` one pin at a time against the pin moving means,the two pins alternatelyY serving to hold the lever against the drivingspring pressure until the rocker arm releases the lever and serving tohold the lever at the end ot its movement.

4. In a panoramic camera, the combination with an oscillatory lens holt`er having` a pinion, of a pivoted lever having teelt1 meshing with thepinion, an oscillatory arbor having an arm, a spring connected to thearm and to the lever, and a springcatch arrangement including aplurality of lever engaging members adapted for holding the lever beforeand after an actuation, one meinbei' approaching an operative leverretaining position as another member is moved from suoli a position.

5. In a panoramic camera, the combination with an oscillatory lensholder having a pinion, ot a pivoted lever having teeth meshing with thepinion, an oscillatory arbor having an arm, a spring connected to thearm and to the lever, and a springcatch arrangement including aplurality ol lever engaging members adapted for holding the lever beforeand alter an actuation, and means for operating the lever engagingmembers.

G. In a panoramic camera, the combination with an oscillatory lensholder having a. pinion, ot' a pivoted lever having teeth meshing withthe pinion, an oscillatory arbor having an arm, a spring connected tothe arm and to the lever, and a springcatch arrangement including aplurality ot lever engaging members adapted tor holding the lever beforeand after an actuationl and a rocker arm for operating the lever Linen'ibers, said rocker arm having button spaced t'rom each other andlocated near the sides ot the camera.

i". ln a panoramic camera the combination with a swinging lens carrier,of a mechanism interconnected with the lens carn ricr adapted to movethe carrier tor mal;- ing an exposure, a carrier releasing deviceincluding a pair orF spaced members located near the sides ot the camerawhereby the members are accessible to the hands ot an operator holdingthe camera.

S. ln a panoramic camera the combination with a swinging lens holderhaving pinions, ot a lens holder moving device connected to one pinion,and a lens holder rerrtling device carried by another pinion, fretarding device comprising a pluy ot gears, a movable lever torcarryportion ot the retarding device, and is located outside ot thecamera for moving the lever to increase or decrease the retardi action.

ln a panoramic camera the combination with a swinging lens holder havingpinions, ot a lens holder moving' device connected to one pinion, and alens holder retarding device carried by another pinion, saidv retardingdevice comprising a plu- 'ality olf gears terminating in a ,weightedmember, a pivoted lever adapted to carry a portion ot the gear train andthe weighted member, saidlever being movable to mesh or unmesh two gearsin the train, and means on the exterior of the camera casing for movingthe lever whereby the retarding action may be altered at will.

l0. ln a panoramic camera, the combination with an voscillatory lensholder. ot a motor spring for driving the oscillatory lens holder`connections between the lens holder and the spring including a swinginglever, a spring latch device including a plurality ot lever engagingmembers adapted tor holding the lever before and after exposure, onemember being adapted to hold the swinging `ever at each end of itsstrolte.

1l. In a panoramic camera, the combination with an oscillatory lensholder. of a motor spring tor driving the oscillatory lens holder.connections between the lens holder and the spring including a swinginglever, a spring latch device including a plurality ot lever engagingmembers adapted tor holding the lever before and after exposure, onemember approaching its latcliing position as another member is releasedtrom its latching position, and means for actuating the lever engagingmembers.

12. In a panoramic camera, the combination with. an oscillatory lensholder, ot' a motor spring ttor driving the oscillatory lens holder,connections between the lens engaging holder' and the spring including aswinging lever, a spring latch device including a plurality of leverengaging members adapt-- ed for holding the lever before and alterexposure, one member approaching its latching position as another memberis released from its latching position, and a rocker arm adapted toengage and move a single lever engaging member at a time.

In a panoramic cameraJ the combination 1with an oscillatory lens holder,of a motor spring for driving the oscillator;7 lens holder, connectionsbetween the lens holder and the spring including a swing ing lever, aspring latch device including a plurality of lever engaging membersadapted for holding the lever before and after exposure, one memberapproaching its latching position as another member is released from itslatching position, and a rocker arm associated With the lever engagingmembers and arranged to move a single lever engaging memberindependently of the other lever engaging member.

Signed at Rochester, New York this 10th day of April 1925.

VILLIAM A. RIDDELL.

